> Reata Pharmaceuticals has closed on a $22.6 million private financing round. The financing round was led by Cardinal Investment Company. New investors in
the round included Novo A/S, a Copenhagen-based life science investment fund. Release
> A court order could delay construction of a $178 million biosafety lab planned for Boston. Report
> Canada's Amorfix Life Sciences has inked a licensing deal with Biogen Idec covering an option to use its technology to develop and commercialize therapeutic products directed against Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Biogen Idec is investing $375,000 in the company and up to $25 million in an upfront payment and milestones if it exercises its option. Release
> Osiris Therapeutics has priced its IPO at $11 a share. Report
> Analysts give Merck credit for its legal strategy of fighting every claim over Vioxx one at a time. In the wake of recent victories, hundreds of federal suits have been dropped for lack of evidence, but 14,000 suits remain to be litigated. Article
> Mark McClellan, the former head of the FDA, says he was never told by the White House how to handle the controversial application to allow Plan B to be sold OTC. Report
> Emergent BioSolutions has acquired Germany's Vivacs GmbH. Terms were not disclosed. Release
> Sweden's Meda AB has acquired the European development and commercialization rights to BioDelivery Sciences International's BEMA Fentanyl. BDSI gains A $2.5 million on execution of the deal and $7.5 million in milestones. Release
> As announced earlier, Gilead Sciences exercised its rights to buy Corus Pharma for $365 million. Release
> Ortec announced that its development partner, ES Cell International, has created new lines of embryonic stem cells that can be used in trials. Report
And Finally... A new blood test is able to detect early-stage breast cancer. Article